Montgomery County greets October with two of its biggest weekends: the Ambler Oktoberfest taking over Butler Avenue on Friday and Saturday, the long-running Skippack Days craft festival filling Historic Skippack Village both days, and the Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest opening its fall run in Norristown. Every event below was verified against the organizer's site, township pages and the county tourism board, with the town, venue, days, times and cost spelled out.
Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3: Ambler Oktoberfest
Ambler Oktoberfest
Town: Ambler
Venue: Butler Avenue, downtown Ambler
When: Friday, October 2, 6-9:30 PM; Saturday, October 3, 11 AM-9:30 PM
Cost: Free admission; food, beer and shopping pay-as-you-go
Ambler's two-day street festival brings beer gardens, food, live music and arts and crafts vendors to Butler Avenue, with roughly 30,000 visitors expected across the weekend; details are on the Ambler Main Street Oktoberfest page. For more on living in the borough, our Ambler community guide covers housing, schools and daily life.
Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4: Skippack Days and the Zoo Harvest Fest
Skippack Days
Town: Skippack (Historic Skippack Village), Skippack/Collegeville area
Venue: Historic Skippack Village, Skippack Pike
When: Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4, 10 AM-6 PM, rain or shine
Cost: Free admission; purchases pay-as-you-go
The area's long-running arts and crafts festival fills the village with woodwork, pottery, silk prints, handmade jewelry, garments, toys and food vendors; see the Valley Forge Tourism Board event page for the full description.
Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest
Town: Norristown
Venue: Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard
When: Saturdays and Sundays, October 3-25, 10 AM-4 PM
Cost: Free with zoo admission; some games and activities may cost extra
Carnival games, live music, face painting and carousel rides around the Stony Creek Stage, with more than 100 animals as the backdrop; confirm hours on the Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest page.
Saturday, October 3: Wine Tasting, Poe on the Porch and a Township Festival
Limerick Uncorked Festival
Town: Limerick
Venue: Limerick Community Park, 180 Swamp Pike
When: Saturday, October 3, noon-5 PM
Cost: Ticketed 21+ event; tickets required and sold through limerickuncorked.com
Pennsylvania wineries and breweries pour complimentary samples into your tasting glass, with food trucks, local artisans and live music; a Spring-Ford Rotary Club fundraiser. Tickets and details are on the Limerick Uncorked site.
Porch Performance: Edgar Allan Poe at Pennypacker Mills
Town: Schwenksville
Venue: Pennypacker Mills, Schwenksville
When: Saturday, October 3, 4 PM
Cost: Outdoor performance; check the county's event listing for admission
Montgomery County's historic Pennypacker Mills hosts an outdoor theatrical performance of Poe's tales on the porch, sponsored by the Friends of Pennypacker Mills; bring a chair or blanket. Details are on the Montgomery County events calendar.
Lower Providence 38th Annual Community Fall Festival
Town: Eagleville (Lower Providence Township)
When: Saturday, October 3, noon-5 PM
Cost: Community event; check the township page for activity prices
Touch-a-truck, local food and music, and family fall activities anchor the township's long-running celebration; it is part of the fall festival lineup collected on the Valley Forge Tourism Board's Montco fall guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's happening in Montgomery County this weekend, October 2-4, 2026?
The Ambler Oktoberfest runs Friday evening and all day Saturday on Butler Avenue, Skippack Days fills Historic Skippack Village Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM-6 PM, and the Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest opens its Saturday/Sunday fall run in Norristown. Saturday also brings the Limerick Uncorked tasting, a Poe performance at Pennypacker Mills and Lower Providence's fall festival.
What can families do this weekend?
Families can visit the Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest (10 AM-4 PM Saturday and Sunday) with carnival games and face painting, or the Lower Providence Community Fall Festival (Saturday, noon-5 PM) with touch-a-truck and family activities. Skippack Days is also stroller- and kid-friendly with handmade toys among its many vendors.
Are there any free events in Montgomery County this weekend?
Yes. Ambler Oktoberfest and Skippack Days are both free to attend, and the Pennypacker Mills porch performance is an outdoor public program. The Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest is free only with zoo admission, and Limerick Uncorked is a ticketed 21+ event.
What festivals are happening in Montgomery County this weekend?
Three festivals anchor the weekend: Ambler Oktoberfest (Friday and Saturday on Butler Avenue), Skippack Days (Saturday and Sunday at Historic Skippack Village) and the Elmwood Park Zoo Harvest Fest (Saturdays and Sundays through October 25 in Norristown).
Smarty's Pick: Ambler Oktoberfest
My pick in Montgomery County this weekend is the Ambler Oktoberfest, Friday October 2 from 6-9:30 PM and Saturday October 3 from 11 AM-9:30 PM on Butler Avenue. The street festival is free to enter, the borough knows how to throw it (about 30,000 people come), and the mix of beer gardens, live music and local vendors makes it an easy Friday night or all-day Saturday excursion with the rest of the county.
A Note on Plans: Confirm Before You Go
Event times, parking, vendors and ticket prices can shift as the weekend gets closer, so confirm details with each organizer before you head out. A quick check of the official event pages linked above is the best way to avoid a closed gate or a sold-out entry window.
Make a Weekend of It: Scout a Neighborhood
Festival weekends are also a great time to explore a neighborhood you might call home. Notice how the streets feel, whether parking is easy, and whether the shops and restaurants match your routine. For honest, local guidance on which communities fit your wish list, schedule a chat with Smarty, and compare the rest of the region in our Philadelphia Region weekend guide.
